Wrecked Vette Wednesday: Air Compressor Attacks A 3-Month-Old C6

We have all dodged road debris at some point, but imagine the horror of not being able to avoid it while behind the wheel of a C6 Corvette. Brandon Shepard was driving home during rush hour on Interstate 15 when an air compressor slammed into his black Z51 Corvette. Shepard was unable to avoid the compressor due to traffic; with cars on either side of his Corvette and one behind him Shepard was fortunate to have avoided colliding with another vehicle. It is likely that the compressor had fallen off or out of the back of a truck; however, Shepard did not see the item fall off or out of a vehicle and without a license plate number, Shepard’s insurance company will be bearing the brunt of this incident.

Fox 13, a local Salt Lake, Utah channel, interviewed Shepard regarding this incident and the damage sustained after the collision. Shepard reported that the air compressor struck the passenger side of the front end and caused the front wheels to lose contact with the road. Once the front wheels slammed back onto the road surface, Shepard carefully managed to pull over on the side of the Interstate to survey the damage to his 3-month-old C6.

According to Fox 13, the radiator supports, braking system, cooling system and suspension sustained significant damage. With a $197 fine for not securing an item properly (and of course being on the hook for trashing a new C6) it is unlikely that the compressor owner will come forward. Shepard’s driving skill should be commended and hopefully the plight of his Z51 will serve as a reminder to others to properly secure items before getting on the road.